RichRock : Running Free

Well, it’s wednesday, and my arms are aching like crazy. Yesterday was fun. I went mountain biking up the local mountain, doing what I term ‘Hang Gliders Trail’, mainly climbing the mountain on the road, circle the top, ride across the face which I see every time I look out my window, then drop off on the access road down the left side of the face. A lot faster than what they would drive it!
It was great because it’s my first major ride this year, and highlighted a small problem on my bike - my disc brakes (mechanical) aren’t enough, so I’m looking at getting some Hope Mono M4’s, which have some good reviews…
Well, the end result of all that fun yesterday, my arms ache, mainly my triceps and the tops of my shoulders. Everything else is fine. Just back to domestic bliss today as I wash clothes, and I’ll probably go see my local bike shop to check my front rotor as it was well grinding yesterday on the road descent.

Well, I now have another job - Customer Service Advisor for a multinational company! I start at the end of february, so that’s pretty cool… Gives me a month to get nervous! I went around the facility, and the office and recreational stuff too, and it seemed pretty cool. Hopefully I’ll get to know some of the 2000+ that work there!
On another entirely different front, I congratulated myself by going shopping, picked up ( ) by Sigur Ros, 2 albums by Fiona Apple (excellent voice), and the first two DVD’s of Ghost In The Shell - Stand Alone Complex : 2nd Gig (which must be one of the longest titles ever!) All for less than £20! It’s bad news being so close to some quality stores in the city, plus there’s a good Pen/Filofax shop near the station too. Time to start collecting those Lamy pens!
Well, it’s a quick post to update y’all, and I’ve got to go get some dinner and go out to homegroup (a church thang). I’ll post again soon!

Well, I started the new year by leaving my current company, and started in a new one, providing returns and repairs for a major distributor… and hate it. Well, ‘hate’ is such a strong word, so, I hate it. It’s not the actual job itself, that is quite easy, actually, now I think of it, it’s ‘easy’, like ticking pieces of paper. No challenge for me there.
I had to admit to myself something I’d always denied. I am a people person, at least professionally. I can’t stand not having different people to talk to, establishing working relationships and trying to ensure future business with that particular person. That is so hard. Maybe it’s ten years of doing it that’s made me into what I am now, a customer-focused induvidual, prepared to team together with others to make sure the customer is satisfied. So I’m now looking elsewhere.
I have a preliminary interview tomorrow, with yet another major company, and they seem to look after their staff. I also have another 3 applications pending a response (you have/haven’t got an interview). So it’s looking hopeful I might find something soon.
It does make me wonder, how much effort I really need to put into finding a job. All the considerations, like working conditions, time, travel, pay, opportunities for promotion, and so forth. All these weigh up and a final, Christian ‘is this the right thing God wants me to do?”
As a Christian, I am bound in many respects by this aspect, and have felt stronger that some form of customer-facing career is the better option, rather than being shut away in some warehouse where you only ever meet the staff… I seem destined for a career which is close to the customer, learning more skills about dealing with people at new and more challenging levels.
I’ll keep you all posted about what happens over the next couple of weeks, and hopefully have some good news to report.

An exception from the normal reviews here - a review of an MTB DVD. ‘Roam’, a 16mm film by The Collective, a group of photographers, filmmakers and mountain bikers.
The film is an superbly shot tour de force, compared to the other dvd’s I’ve seen of MTB action. This one actually gives some roots to the sport, with action ranging from North Shore to Freeride to Dirt Jumping, plus some good ol’ fashioned Downhill and Singletrack thrown in. Also, almost as a last minute entry, an awesome Trails section is well placed.
The locations are superb, from North Shore, Whistler, British Columbia, to more obscure locations like Prague, Idaho, and the Lunn’s back garden. Check out the Lunn’s Dad!
Needless to say that I really wanted to fill up the ol’ Camelbak and head out for the trails… But it was late, and I don’t have the lighting kit.
The soundtrack is awesome, a great selection from the usual rock/punk/metal to dub and a bit of rap/hiphop thrown in. My personal favourite was ‘Bang Your Mullet’ by The Distillery. This can be found on the extras, under Singletrack, which is my favourite style of riding. (Mainly XC/Singletrack/Wherever). Other features include Airs, Making Of (as the photography is unlike anything I’ve seen before), Crashes (awesome) and some sponsor videos thrown in for good measure.
I’d watch this dvd again and again, and I am waiting for the next release from The Collective, and would definitely purchase their previous film, The Collective DVD.

10/10 for Quality
10/10 for Style/Photography
7/10 for Soundtrack (just a little too much thrash guitars for me)
10/10 for Inspiring To Ride©

If you love Mountain Biking, GET THIS DVD!
If you want to know Mountain Biking is all about, this DVD helps explain some of it. Overall, I’m happy that my hard-earned went on this DVD…

Well, I’m back up again… I’m happy to be single. And Proud! (maybe not as much as those gay guys, they have that pride march and all that…)
But I’m doing ok. It’s a process. Just like on Analyze This. ‘It’s a process’
I’m quite enjoying my new job. It’s tough and physical because of Warehouse orientation, so basically most of this week I’m picking and packing. We finish when the orders are done, so I never know when that is. There’s a couple of bike riders who get on the train, and we recognise each other. It’s like an enviromentally friendly brotherhood, sticking out like sore thumbs with our gear and, er, bikes.
Speaking of which, I should have my new Camelbak for the commute and weekend rides. It’s the Camelbak Blowfish, specifically chosen because of it’s ability to change volume, from small for trails, to larger for storing more threads. And I’m ordering more threads now, namely technical jerseys for wicking sweat away, and some waterproof tops for chest & legs.
Regarding being single (and PROUD!!!! - I am happy with this, but as a single christian, there’s not much reading material for someone who, let’s be honest here, is not that fussed on dating, so I’ve decided to do something about it. Make another blog. You can read it here - smc-singlemalechristian - and it’s all about my life as a single bloke. Hopefully it’ll take off and others could contribute, because us blokes, we don’t get much published regarding this area of our lives.
Well, back to online shopping, getting some threads and parts for the bike. I worked out 1768 miles per year, just for commuting!

Also, I always refer to my bike as a ’she’. Any ideas for an actual name? I always liked Mai or Kaori (ok, so they’re both Japanese, but that’s my thang)…. Ideas in a comment please.

Catch you on the flipside dude!

I need to get this out of my system. Last night was my send off from all the guys and gals from my old workplace. I’d cooked for two hours straight, doing steak & chips, a yearly event for me. Then we went out to the pubbe (ref : Bill Bailey). And it was all good. But then I had another depressive episode, I’m not sure if it was just my sugars crashing due to alchohol, but I hit the bottom very quickly as people were going.
It’s a dangerous thing to have happen. You’re leaving your mates for another place, you’ve known some up to 10 years, and you feel like crap. Not because of those things previously mentioned, but because this new year has been a slight bummer for me personally. This year is now 15 years without any hope of a relationship with some ‘babe’ out there. Obviously, being a man of faith does make these things slightly more awkward, limiting choice soemwhat, and these just add pressure to this volatile situation.
Let’s put it like this : For all my posturing, saying “I’m fine being on my own, it’s not a problem. If it happens, it happens, if not, then that’s ok too.”, is not me at all. I’m so tired of being on my own, not having someone to love, be with whatever. However, knowing my luck in attracting all wierd and bizarre personalities in my life, I’ll have a real doozy to deal with.
I guess I’m struggling to understand how it all works.
Maybe one day, hopefully this year…